Dredging Up the Past
by KissPookie28
Summary: One shot. Well actually two shot. Two part story. Dawson's been AWOL for five years and finally returns. What has changed? Why did he leave in the first place?  Series finale disregarded. I refuse to let Jen die
1. The Return

He drove the car past the sign welcoming him to town. Eyes turned towards him, it wasn't that often that you got visitors in Capeside. But as people looked closer their faces showed looks of recognition. Though it had been a few years since they had last seen him, he was still identifiable. The years did show in his face, his eyes were more shadowed than they were the last time they had seen him. Once people recognized him they immediately gave him waves that not only communicated a "welcome back" but also a "we're so sorry". He shook his head; he had seen this story line a lot. After all he was a director. The tragic hero returns to his small hometown and everyone treats him like a fragile creature. His foot pressed down on the accelerator a bit harder.

"Ah my baby's back!" Gail Leery ran down the steps of the front porch and threw her arms around Dawson. "Couldn't even be burdened enough to call your mother, huh?"

"Sorry mom, but I've been real busy since I left."

"She knows, she's been tracking every moment of your career since you left." Mitch Leery had walked out to join his wife and son on the front lawn. "How are you son?"

"Great Dad." The two Leery men hugged.

"Dawson!" A small blonde girl came barreling out of the house and right into Dawson.

"Hey Lily." Dawson hugged his ten year old sister to him. "You've grown since I saw you last."

"Well it has been five years," Gail pointed out.

"I had this really weird dream last night," Lily began to rattle on.

"Dawson doesn't want to hear about that Lily," Gail cut her off.

"Sure he does. Emma was in it." Lily looked to her brother whose face had suddenly become poignant.

"So who wants lunch?" Gail began to lead the group into the house.

"If you don't mind mom I think I'm going to go see everyone else. Catch up and all." Gail looked as if she did mind and wanted to say something to stop him from going, but Mitch put his hand on her arm.

"You go and have fun, son."

"Thanks dad. Love you mom." Dawson pecked his mom's cheek and waved to his dad.

"What about me?" Lily called to him.

"Love you too." Dawson was already to his car. He turned the engine on, rolled the windows up and blasted the radio. Gail shook her head as she watched her son drive away.

"I worry about him Mitch. It's been five years and he's still…"

"There's nothing we can do about it Gail. This is one thing he's got to do on his own. On his own time. Now how about you and I and the kid we can still control go in the house and eat some of that fabulous chicken salad you whipped up." Gail smiled at him. He put his arm around her and kissed the top of the head and then they followed Lily into the house.

"Well Dawson Leery, I never thought I'd see you around here again." Dawson walked to the swing as Jen Lindley stood up.

"And I never thought I'd see you back here in Capeside in Gram's old house." They embraced.

"Well people surprise you. When Gram's died last year…"

"I'm so sorry."

"She went peacefully. But when she died last year I decided that I wanted to come back here and live where she did. So Jack and I moved from New York."

"Jack's here too." Jen smirked.

"And Doug."

"Doug!"

"Yes. It seems that Pacey was right about him all along. And he and Jack are kind of a couple now."

"The four of you living in this house, wow."

"Five of us actually." Dawson's eyebrows lifted in curiosity. "Well, you know that guy that I was dating when you left." Dawson nodded. "Well about a year after you left he did too, but not before impregnating me."

"What can I say, you really know how to pick them." Jen elbowed him.

"Yeah it was hard and I really hated him for it until I first laid eyes on little Amy. I just fell in love with her." Dawson's eyes began to shadow over with tears, but Jen didn't notice. She was too wrapped up in her recollection. "And then Jack agreed to move in with me and it was kind of like Amy had a normal family, or as normal as she could have with one of her parents being gay. Then Doug came into the picture and the house as well and I realized that while our family might not be normal, it's pretty kick ass. So what if Amy has two dads? She's got three parents and that's more than most kids can say." Dawson blinked a few times and then spoke.

"Wow motherhood has mellowed you."

"Come on inside." Jen took his hand and led him into the house.

"It looks just the same as it did when you were living here in high school." Dawson moved into the living room and began to look at the pictures on the mantel. The first few showed Jack and Jen with various backdrops and then the rest had two additions; someone that Dawson recognized from his childhood, his best friend's older brother Doug and a small blonde girl who looked just like Jen. Dawson gently touched the picture of Jen hugging the toddler close as he remembered what that felt like.

"Dawson!" Dawson tore his eyes from the picture and turned.

"Hey Jack!" Dawson glanced at Jack and saw that behind him stood Doug, looking awkward. Jack strode across the living room and hugged Dawson. "There seems to be a lot of that going on today," Dawson remarked as he pulled back. "Doug." Dawson extended his hand and Doug shook it. The three of them sat on the couch and Jen came in with a tray.

"Tea and cookies." Dawson shook his head in amazement.

"And motherhood turned you into Martha Stewart. You should have gotten knocked up a long time ago." Dawson stole a cookie from the tray as Jack and Doug sniggered.

"It's what Grams used to serve when she had company," Jen explained. "Gotten knocked up a long time ago," she mumbled to herself in disbelief as she set the tray on the coffee table and they all four dug in.

"So how has everyone been since I left?" Dawson asked over his tea.

"Everyone or someone in particular?" Jen raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone."

"Well Doug got promoted." Jack smiled at him proudly. "And I'm a teacher now at the high school."

"Wow. What's it like to be back in those halls?"

"Strange. It's really odd to see kids come in year after year and use the same locker that once had 'fag' written across it just for me." Dawson didn't know whether to pity him or laugh but then Jack cracked a smile and the four chuckled.

"And what have you been up to Jen?"

"Well I've been pretty busy with Amy. She's a handful."

"Tell me about it. When she hit her terrible twos I just wanted to kill her," Jack chortled.

"Jack!" Jen chastised him.

"I didn't mean…I…" but Jack couldn't finish. The room fell silent until a little girl ran into the room and right up to Dawson.

"Who are you?" the little girl poked him in the chest. Dawson beamed.

"My name's Dawson. I'm a friend of your mom and dad's."

"I'm Amy. And I'm theirs." She pointed to the other three adults. Everyone laughed, glad to have the awkwardness over with. Amy crawled into Jen's lap and Jen stroked her hair.

"So where's the rest of our high school gang. Andie?" Dawson looked at Jack.

"She moved to London and works at the University of Oxford now. She's married too. To some rich guy, I've only met him once. He's nice though. They don't have any kids so sometimes she comes over and she steals Amy for a while." Jack reached over and tickled the small girl who roared with laughter.

"What about Joey and Pacey?"

"Joey moved into the house next to the B and B after you left. She's been working on a novel and is actually getting it published next month."

Dawson shook his head in amazement. "I always knew she'd be the successful one of us."

"Well what about you, Mr. Big Shot Director? I'd say you're pretty successful," Jen said.

"So what's Pacey up to, still slacking off?" Dawson was speaking of his best friend from high school.

Doug set his cup down on the coffee table. "No actually, my little bro finally got it together. He opened up his own restaurant and got married with a kid on the way actually." Doug seemed surprised.

"Impressive." A lot had changed since Dawson had left. "Is the girl anyone I know?" The room got a bit quieter.

"I don't know. We did go to high school with her though," Jen spoke up. She looked at her wrist though there was no watch there. "Look at the time. We actually have a parent teacher conference now, so maybe you should go see Joey." Jen stood up and led Amy to the foyer.

"It's summer. What kind of teacher has conferences?" Dawson stood up and followed Jen.

"Umm well, we're sending Amy to a big private preschool and you know how stuffy they are," Jack supplied. They were all standing in the foyer. Dawson looked at his friends and for a moment they were the gawky adolescents he had spent his high school years with. He blinked once and reality hit him. His friends had grown and now were raising kid of their own. It was hard to believe that that could be him right now.

"Ok, well I'll see you guys later? I'm thinking we could have a big get together dinner tonight. The old gang back together you know? And you're welcome to come too Doug."

"Absolutely." Jen practically shoved him out the door. She blew him a kiss and then shut the door. Dawson shook his head. While a lot had changed, some things stayed the same. Jen was still the same crazy person she had always been and Jack was still the overly dependable, willing to do anything for you kind of guy.


	2. Meeting with Joey

Joey was writing furiously. Her book was due to be published soon and she still had major editing to do. Her brow furrowed with concentration. A cold wind blew over her and she pulled the blankets up higher and tighter around her. The wind brought with it the sound of crunching gravel, Joey looked up. A car was pulling into her driveway, a man got out. She squinted against the sun, but still couldn't see him clearly. Then he spoke.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes?" Dawson walked up to her porch.

"Dawson! I never thought I'd see you again." Joey began to set her papers down, but Dawson was already on the porch.

"Since when do we stand up to receive one another?" Dawson sat down in the chair next to the couch Joey was on as she grinned.

"Since when do you use such interesting speech?"

"It's all these script writers. They write crazy things that could not pass for casual speech in our society and I have to read it. After a while it gets to you." Joey laughed as Dawson leaned over and hugged her. She closed her eyes and inhaled his scent. She had missed that. Dawson squeezed her a bit closer and then he released her. They both leaned back, their gazes locked.

"I guess with you back in town that means we're all here. Everyone from high school I mean. Except Andie. We should celebrate."

"Without a doubt." A silence followed. They both sat listening to the creek flow and thinking about their pasts. "Since when did we get so…awkward around one another?"

"Dawson, with what happened things just can't go back to normal." Joey's face grew morose all of the sudden.

"Let's not talk about that Jo." They turned away from each other and fell silent once again. After a bit, Dawson attempted to start the chatter again. "So I heard that Pacey got married to a girl we went to high school with." Joey seemed to tense up.

"I…um…heard that too."

"No one seemed to be able to tell me where he was though." Joey sighed, relinquishing.

"He's inside paying bills." Dawson looked at her, an expression of realization on his face.

"You and Pacey?"

"Yeah."

"Wow." The moment became awkward and Joey began to listen to the birds chirp around her, wondering when her life became so hard. Dawson still seemed bent on keeping conversation going. "So…I heard that you finished a novel."

"Yeah. It was hard, but exhilarating."

"Well you have one up on me. I've been working on the same screenplay for the past…well since…" Dawson trailed off.

Joey tried to ease his pain by changing the topic. "Have you ever noticed that life's all about one uping people?"

"What do you mean?"

Joey began to ramble on. "Well you one up people to get into college. Then you move on to one uping people to get the job of your choice…"

"And Pacey one-uped me to get the girl of both our choice." He seemed determined to stay in his perpetual funk.

Joey shook her head. "Dawson don't do this."

"Don't do what? Admit to you how I feel?"

"No." Joey threw her papers on the table beside her. "Don't turn this into some competition between you and Pacey. It's how we've spent the majority of our lives. The two of you, knuckles dragging on the ground, beating each other with clubs for my affection."

"And if I recall correctly, Jo, that's how we ended up together. Look, I know you still care about me. I can see it in your eyes." Dawson grabbed her hand, but she pulled it back roughly.

"You left Dawson! No goodbye! Not even so much as a note! And I had to deal with it all on my own." Dawson had gotten out of his funk and was now passing through the mood of rage. He stood up quickly.

"Don't you think that's what I was doing?" He shouted as he crossed in front of her. "I had to deal with it on my own terms. I couldn't walk around this town any longer because everyone knew. They'd shoot me these stupid, piteous stares. I couldn't take it, so I left."

"Dawson, we were engaged. You don't just leave town and not tell your fiancée. Especially when you're going through something like we were going through."

"That's another thing. Everyone always said we were going through something, but we weren't. The 'something' was already done. She was already dead! And I could have stopped it. She'd still be alive if it wasn't for me." He sank down on the couch beside Joey with his head in his hands.

"Dawson, is that what you think?" Her expression softened and she placed her hand on his back. "There was nothing you could have done. She was sick and it was her time to go."

"But I wasn't ready to let her go," Dawson mumbled and Joey heard his voice break.

"Sometimes they go before we want them to." She put her arms around him. "Look at my mom, I certainly wasn't ready to let her go." She paused for a moment as she blinked back the tears that had arrived when she thought about her mother. "But it's nice to think that my mom and Emma are together somewhere waiting for us." She looked down at Dawson, hopefully, but he didn't emerge. "Emma's proud of everything you did to try and save her. And so is her mother for that matter. And they don't blame you for her death." Dawson gave a sniff and looked up at her. His eyes were red and for the first time Joey noticed the lines that had made their appearance on his face since she last saw him. Life had been cruel to him and he looked as if he had aged more than the five years since she last saw him. Dawson seemed to catch her staring and he turned away, facing the creek. Joey put her arm around him and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Finally, Dawson spoke. "That's why I left, you know. Every time I looked at you I saw her. And everyone's mournful expressions became accusing in my mind. I felt so guilty. I had to get away." Joey sighed, feeling terrible because she had caused him so much pain. Gently, she lifted the blanket to put over him but he stood up, looking determined. "I'm going to the cemetery." She nodded curtly and he turned and walked off the porch. When he reached his car he shook his head and turned back to her. He walked back to the couch where she was sitting. "Do you want to come with me?"

"I'd like that." Joey smiled and threw the blanket off. With a bit of difficulty Joey managed to stand up. "Just let me go inside and tell Pacey where I'm going." Joey gathered up her papers and waddled into the house. Dawson didn't say a word because his jaw had dropped to the ground. When Joey had stood up Dawson had noticed for the first time her protruding stomach.

Dawson hadn't spoken to her since they had gotten in the car. Joey had an inkling as to the cause of the silence. They're footsteps crunched as they walked over the flowers that had blown across the cemetery.

As the two of them ambled amidst the mass of marble headstones, Dawson contemplated how best to phrase his shock. Finally he settled on, "Pacey's?" It was simple yet got the point across.

Joey smiled as her suspicions were confirmed. It was the same old Dawson. "Yes." Dawson sighed and Joey saw the internal war going on in his head. Pacey was his best friend, but Joey had…

"When's it due?"

Since Joey had found out she was pregnant she had become a bit more defensive when it came to the baby. "**She** is due in two months."

Dawson nodded. His gaze dropped to the ground. "Will you tell her about Emma?" he mumbled.

"When it's the right time." Joey smiled; her daughter would love to know about Emma.

"So I guess the baby means there's no chance of us getting back together."

By Dawson's tone, most people would have thought that he was joking, but Joey knew him far too well. He was testing the waters. Joey had to be firm. "That's correct." Dawson's head bobbed up and down again in a nod. The two of them had reached the back of the cemetery and had stopped at a small headstone. For a moment, they stood in silence, looking down. Joey's hand unconsciously reached for the chain around her neck and then to the ring on it.

"So then tell me why you still wear my ring on that necklace," Dawson continued their conversation from before. Joey sighed.

"Because as painful as the past is for you, that's how wonderful it is for me. And the ring reminds me of that wonderful time in my life that I spent with the man I love. Because I do love you. While I may not love you in the way you want me to anymore, a part of me will always belong to you. Our pasts are linked, Dawson Leery, in a big way. Whether you like it or not." Dawson's face broke out in a smile. Joey noted the change in mood and took this opportunity to pick a bone with him. "So maybe we could try to keep our futures connected as well and not have any more five year gaps with no communication." Dawson laughed. "I'm not talking anything big, just send up a smoke signal once in a while so I know you're all right."

"I could do that." The two of them leaned into each other. Dawson put his arm around Joey's shoulders. As it had in the past, Joey's hand reached for Dawson's. They're fingers interlaced and they both sighed with relief as they realized that there was still hope. The two of them looked down once again at the tombstone before them. Tears clouded both of their visions as the read the inscription:

Emma Anne Leery. Born February 17, 2004. Died June 4, 2006. Beloved daughter of Dawson Leery and Josephine Potter.


End file.
